coafandomcom-20200223-history
House Bhaliir
"During an era of great upheaval in the North, the most notorious bloodline of Arabel would be quenched and tip for good the scale of power as the North knew it- Only to rise again like a hydra from its grave with two heads instead of one." House Bhaliir was one of the four prominent noble houses of Arabel that upheld the rule of Cormyr in the north before the events of the civil war, during which they were infamously besmirched and branded traitors. When the fighting was finally over, their name may have been cleared but the House was in ruins, its lord dead, and the bloodline was regarded to be extinct. 20 years had passed, when a stranger from distant lands arrived at the shores of The Forest Kingdom and shortly thereafter was granted lordship for a once defunct title by the King of Cormyr. This stranger is named as Lord Foril Bhaliir, son of Silbrien Bhaliir, the Storm Dragon. During the direst of time in the second Shadow War- The King commissions this man to stabilize the North, thus sending him to the roots of his family. Today- the House that was both feared and beloved has suddenly re-emerged- and now stands as powerful as ever- with the Jewel of the North set on its sinister mind. Insight, relationship's and opinions Of all the lords of the North, there were none who were more despised and/or feared than those of house Bhaliir. Most historians today would debate that if it wasn't for their sharp wits, deep pockets and seemingly undying loyalty to the Crown, they would've surely found themselves at the end of a rebellious mans noose or at the royal executioners block long before the dreadful events of the Civil war transpired. But that was not to be- for the house would never be found guilty of any crimes in time, and ever kept itself surrounded by the endless mass of its fiercest support- resting at the heart of the Slums of Arabel. In general, the middle class regarded House Bhaliir with awe, for to most their operations had always been shrouded by such mystery and ill repute that was best left alone and forgotten about, lest you sought to risk the attention of this notorious family. Of all things, none were as precious to the nobility of Cormyr than their integrity and good name, and House Bhaliir was no exception to this rule. So it was that the few folk who made themselves known as enemies of the family were best to avoid walking the Southern districts for there the underworld ruled and the militia was nowhere to be seen. These eery warnings would continue to take a turn for the worse during the reign of King Lheskar (the impostor), when those who bravery stood in open defiance at this tyrant would suddenly disappear- alongside their entire families. Most adventurers perceived them as the tyrants and thugs that they were, as even before the Civil war House Bhaliir kept the southern districts of Arabel in its iron grip, forcing outside influences out and limiting its benefactors to a small number of shrines and enterprises while enforcing its own monopoly in the area. These forceful maneuvers bordered dictatorship were conceived as even then. if it was a brawl you wanted, one never needed to go further than the Dancing Dragon Tavern- where the blood of the foolish would often flow after a few ill-spoken words about the oppression or family of fortunes and resources. Strangely enough though, house Bhaliir would find most of its support from these very districts, and to this day remains the only legal authority that could ever establish order to the Slums, its retainers patrolling its streets unmolested. There was an endless race for control and influence between the four major houses of Arabel, but the struggle between House Bhaliir and House DeSchurr was the worst. Constant clashes between these two rivals would eventually tear them both apart, with outside parties thus gaining foothold in their stead and provoking a chaotic struggle of power in the north. History House Bhaliir was the very epitome of shady nobility if there ever was one in the lawful good nation of Cormyr. It gained its riches- whilst ever operating on the edge of the law- through copious investments in several enterprises alongside owning two prominent taverns, the Dancing Dragon and the Dancing Dracolisk. Acting as the protectorate of the slums and southern district, they built their estate there and set their House guards to patrol its streets. House Bhaliir became beloved by the poor and outcasts of society, many of whom found food and safety under their employ. Yet only the most loyal -and often the most cunning- were ever considered worthy of wearing their colors, for the house valued its integrity above all else- and were well known to do everything to uphold it. The Lord's departure - Winter 1376 With the threat of war against the Shadovar looming ever nearer, all the noble houses of Arabel had been issued the Call to Arms by the Regent of Cormyr. If any of them saw in it a chance to server their country, it is uncertain; all that is certain is that at least one noble house wished to use the unruly times ahead as a means to further its own lot. What perhaps no one expected was for Lord Lheskar Bhaliir to fool his own retainers so. What began as an exercise in ambition and resourcefulness burst into a harsh reality as Bhaliir staged a masterful act in which all and sundry were fooled into believing the militia of Arabel did not only seek to undermine him, but rob him and steal into his estate. Within days of the capture of a militia agent in the Bhaliir estate unlawfully, the Lord was announcing his self-imposed exile with the sympathy of his people behind him. All that he left behind were a few uncertain retainers who quickly resorted to the villains they were without the facade of a noble covering their true selves as they set off into the underworld from whence they came - an infernalist, a thief and a murderer. -lizard Callahan Corporation - Spring 1377 The mysterious Callahan Corporation turned up on the doorstep of Arabel's poorest district, and promptly set about transforming it into a quarter bordering on affluent, with new buildings and fine architecture appearing where no one had dared build before; even the locals were offered many jobs through the corporation, something which they dearly lacked in the past. It was only once Callahan Corporation was a name on every dweller of the "South-east District" - as it had now come to be known - that the benefactor and sponser of all these rennovations made himself known: none other than the previously vanished Lord Lheskar Bhaliir. The surprise turned to shock after shock, as in tow he brought his friends from his self-imposed exile: many Duergar, Beholders and formally inducted the heads of the Callahan Corporation as his personal retainers. -lizard King Lheskar, the tyrant, the impostor - Winter 1377 Many adventurers tried their luck to little avail against Bhaliir's duergar and beholder allies, where the other political rivals vying for control of the city remained primarily too hesitant to weaken themselves unnecessarily by joining in. All that is, except for Deschurr, who readily clashed with everyone hindering his expansion but met his match in Bhaliir. Turned to stone and having lost most of his army in one battle, House Deschurr looked to his daughter, Anya, for guidance, and it came in the form of the Phoenix Legion taking its first steps into Arabel, as House Deschurr proclaimed its allegience to the Phoenix King. All was not well for the Tyrant King however, as the increasing obsession of his minions to capture and enslave adventurers resulted in the petrified Lord Mitchell Deschurr being returned to flesh by a well prepared group inside King Bhaliir's dungeons; his release caused an eruption right in the heart of Bhaliir's realm as the legendary warrior carved a path out of the palace. Lheskar Bhaliir's reign came to an end, but on his own terms. As adventurers rallied together to free his slaves, the Tyrant welcomed them to the sight of south Arabel collapsing into a seemingly bottomless pit. Descending with his army, King Bhaliir seemingly withdrew from the civil war, although rumours and sightings persist to this day of his influence from whatever land his reach now extends. -lizard Prominent Figures Lord Abdheel Bhaliir Abdheel Bhaliir, then nothing but a peasant, had been married in 1290 and by all reports, his wife Pruadda Derlain was long suspected to be barren. In a city favored by Tymora, the common joke seems to be that Bhaliir was entirely unlucky in all things. Even his wife, hailing as she did from one of Arabel's oldest families was born to the poorer end of the family tree. Much of that turned around in 1294. Abdheel came into some money from an unknown source, likely an inheritance though. The same year, Pruadda conceived a child, and Bhaliir entered the Militia and rose quickly in their ranks. The Bhaliir family was established in the year of the Shadowtop, 1312 for their military service to King Rhigaerd II against Cormyrian border-raiders. Abdheel Bhaliir was nothing more than a common crossbowman at the time, but well-regarded by many for his keen sight which he often joked was a "gift from the gods, no real talent of my own." Be that as it may, his bravery and courage impressed the King so much so that the family was granted nobility and a modest plot of land south of Arabel. The land mostly springs and pasturage, suitable for herd grazing. Sadly, lord Abdheel and his brother Hjallis both passed away in 1347, leaving Lheskar as the patriarch and lord Paramount, with Kevan as his heir. Lord Lheskar Bhaliir Lord Lheskar Bhaliir continued to build the family fortunes quickly through trade and commerce, enjoying lucrative trade routes with many varied organisations, while allegedly spreading his influence deep into the underworld of the North- for there the real fortunes be. Although he did not own any caravan lines of his own, he generally transferred his goods along the networks of other merchant companies, especially the Iron Throne. He demanded that his House remains paragons of humanity for all mankind, which is of course why he refused to hire or employ any non-humans. To people of the North, Lord Lheskar seemed to be a calculative, prudent man with the charms to enthrall any of audience with this arrogant confidence that can only be expected of one who appears several steps ahead of everyone else in everything. He was not shy to publicly show his utter disgust on those that became criminals in the eyes of the law, likely since he saw them as fools and perhaps as it was an obvious hindrance for "good business". It is well known he was a vocal supporter for harsh punishments on those who failed to meet his expectations: They were not equal to man; they did not deserve the same treatment as man. This led to the families disparaging opinion on the capabilities of the militia, which he saw fit to cast out of his districts as they were unqualified to enforce the laws under his supervision. Historians fail to pin point the exact time and date when Many believe that during the early stages of the civil war that the conflict of the Civil war in 1377 DR, when the all other nobility of Arabel turned on the Crown for the control of Arabel. That it was during the dLord Lheskar Bhaliir was taken captive by beholders whom had been twisted to the service of the Rift. Shortly after his sudden disappearance, a mysterious benefactor known as the Callahan Corporation arrived. vealed to be under command of the Lord Leshkar Bhaliir, before throwing the City Militia out of the South of Arabel by force. Unknown to the Arabellian population, it was not truly Lord Bhaliir whom had assumed power of the South. Utilizing the authority and power of Lord Bhalir, the beholder opened a chasm in the southern section of Arabel. A chasm which physically revealed the Rift, which had lain buried deep beneath Arabel. Luckily for Arabel, it was soon uncovered that Lheskir Bhaliir was in fact captured, and the false Lord Bhaliir to have been a beholder bent on domination of Arabel and the true responsiblity for much of its political instability over the years. However the adventurers of Arabel were unable to slay the beholder which had taken Bhaliir’s image. Once freed, it was discovered that the true Lord Bhaliir had become insane during his capitivity by the beholders. Unfit to be Lord nor a free man, Lord Bhaliir spent the rest of his days in captivity by the War Wizards. With no apparent heir, the name of Bhaliir was declared dead that day. Many years later, it was revealed that Myrmeen Lhal had faked her own death to battle the beholder whom had taken Bhaliir’s disguise. Finally the beholder was slain once and for all, yet sadly Lord Bhaliir had died many years prior to enjoy the bitter taste of justice. Lord Foril Bhaliir Foril Bhaliir is the son of Silbrien Bhaliir, and the Lord Paramount that restored his family to its former glory, and returned prosperity to the proud jewel of the North- Arabel. A decade after the fall of Arabels most notorious family, a stranger from distant land returned and declared themselves the heir of Lheskar, and the Lord Paramount of House Bhaliir. As his first deed, this lord butchered the last remaining hive of the beholders that he claimed had been involved tarnishing their proud banners. In the following months, he'd carve his way through the many foes that followed to challenge his dominion in Arabel with one hand, while he made allies out of the Forces of the Crown and the Noble households of Cormyr with the other. He'd declare himself as the protectorate of Old Town, he'd crush the notorious monsters of the Chaos Brigade with the help of his allies the Gilded Gents, and then end the threat of the "White Worm" cult that had sought to charm the downtrodden folk of Arabel. He'd keep the supplies flowing to aid the war effort against the Shadovar, personally ensuring his caravans would reach the other side of the Stormhorn no matter what obstacle came their way. Various threats to their dominion would take their turn- The Chosen of Malar would defy the might of Bhaliir and find itself as game. A retainer of House Bhaliir by the name of Ledoux would rise to become the leader of the city, only to be replaced by the lord and cast out herself. But the return of another disgraced nobleline by the name of Manzahar would haunt the Storm Dragon for months- yet in the end, at the height of his power- he too would see his dreams crushed and his creations destroyed. With these victories, came the responsibilities to become the oversword of the Northern Battalion and the Lord of Arabel. With these conquests, he'd return prosperity to the jewel of the North - and ensured his family would once again stand atop the highest peak of the Northern blue bloods. At this point, it'd seem nothing could stand in his way. Appendix http://coa.wikia.com/wiki/Timeline - The Early Timeline of Arabel.Courtesy of Lizardman https://nodebb.cityofarabel.com/topic/27099/the-old-houses-of-arabel - An IC book in the library detailing the four major houses of Arabel. Courtesy of Puffy